Andy Burnham has announced plans for a UK-wide cost of living tour aimed at engaging residents, local leaders and community groups about pressures on household finances. The initiative, presented as a series of public events, is intended to gather accounts of how energy, housing and everyday expenses are affecting people outside Westminster.
The tour is being organised by the office of Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and officials said it will include meetings with local councils, voluntary sector organisations and small businesses. Organisers describe the exercise as a listening and fact-finding programme to inform policy proposals and to highlight regional variations in the impact of rising costs.
No 10 responded to the wider debate about cost of living measures by defending the actions of the Prime Minister, saying recent government plans would “give people some room to breathe”. At the same time, a range of opposition figures criticised the government response, with some accusing the prime minister of “hypocrisy” in light of previous policy decisions and fiscal choices.
Local leaders and campaign groups have said they will use the tour events to set out demands for targeted support and clearer information for households facing financial strain. The mayor’s office has not published a full itinerary, and it is not clear how findings from the visits will be formalised or whether they will be put to Parliament. Observers note the initiative takes place amid continuing public scrutiny of national measures to address living costs.
